“Thank you.” said Marina.

“I am going up to bed, I had a great evening. Good night Marina.”

As he went upstairs, Marina grabbed the phone Jason had given her and dialled SAM’s number.

“Hello.” she said, “Hey, I heard we’re going to be business partners, this is great.”

“Yes it is. I want to be a semi hands on partner. That means you will handle the day to day stuff, while I continue to do field work, and occasionally stop in to help. Is that ok with you?”

“Sure you’re just the kind of partner I need, occasionally I will need to do field work as well. Can we meet in the morning at 8.00?”

*********************************

Marina ate breakfast and had Ed took her to work. Val was there when she walked through the door. She gave her 3 files. The first one contained the info to 5 off shore accounts. They each held five million a piece. The second one had the aspect and other stuff about the warehouse. The final file had stuff on Prometheus and the IMF.

Someone knocked on the door. Marina slid the desk drawer open and placed her hand in the drawer, gripping the gun. It would only take a second to raise it if she was forced to.

“Come in.” she said.

Sam entered the room. Marina got up and gave her a hug.

“So…what’s new SAM?”

“Not a lot. You?”

“Well…I am getting back in, have some old scores to settle.”

“So what are you plans for the coffee warehouse?”

“Well, the office will be on the second floor. Downstairs will be the newest, hippest place they have ever seen. I want the motif to be Egyptian style.” said Marina, before continuing on. “I will leave all that up to you just keep me updated. I will stop in from time to time. Sam can you stay? I have business meeting with one of Miguel "s partners. I am buying his shares to the shipping company. He might pose a problem.

“Sure I can.”

I pressed the inter com. “Val can come in here please.”

Val promptly came into the office.

“I want you to find the following items. I want wood floors, the DJ booth to be shaped like a lighthouse, the tables are to be a white stone with a Phoenix carved into it, and the eye are to be rubies.

“ Is that all you need today Phoenix?” asked Val politely.

“Yes Val you can leave now.”

“Mr. Banno is here. Can I send him in?

“Sure send him in.”

Marina and Sam shared a steely look as they awaited Gino’s entry into the room. Once he arrived, Marina sat further back against the high back, leather chair. The confidence emitting from every pore.

“Hello Gino, so nice to see you.”

“Hello Marina.” Gina smiled. “and who is your partner?” Gino asked, glancing at Sam.

“This is Sam.”

Gino nodded his head to Sam as Marina continued.

I’m looking forward to being part of your company’s bright future.” said Marina.

“I brought the papers. All they need is your signature.” He sat them on the desk. “I signed my name. Now let’s have dinner with your husband tonight to celebrate.”

“No. He cannot know of this merger.”

Marina looked at Gina with a sense of firmness, a firm, cold and steely look from her eyes matched the confirmation of her voice. “Is that understood Gino? He CANNOT know of this merger.”

“I am sure we can workout something that will benefit us both so I don’t tell him.” said Gino with a sly and sneaky smile. His eyes locked with Marina’s, the stare incredibly strong and vial at the same time. “ I want you to sleep with me.”

“What Gino???!!” Marina was shocked by his intrusive, rude, and undeniably disrespectful request. The worse thing, was she could see how honest and determined he was about his request.

“You heard me.” He replied, once again emphasizing his expectations for Marina to surrender her body to him.

Without offering any additional thought or compromise to a man who was as unbending as a block of steel, marina opened the desk drawer and pulled out the 9mm. She stared at him, but only for a split second before she stood up and shot him in the head. She looked down at the papers he had brought, which lay on her desk. She was hoping they hadn’t gotten messy from the blood that sprayed away from his body from the impact of the bullet. She then looked at her watch…… it was 20 to three.